Another great romance from Rachel Lynn Solomon! I have read most of her books, at this point, and she is an automatic purchase. As this is the fourth adult romance by her that I have read, I have come to realize the reason I like her stories so much is that they always deal with characters that are still learning and growing. It does't matter there age, they are still figuring things out. This makes for very relatable characters. In this story, main character Dani, feels like she still has not found a passion. The jobs she works are just okay and every hobby she tries doesn't work out. After breaking up with her cheating boyfriend and getting fired, she decides she needs a big change. So she moves to Amsterdam. The choice to go to Amsterdam is inspired by the exchange student, Wouter, who lived with her family for a year while she was in high school. Wouter and Dani secretly dated with plans to stay together after the year. But Wouter broke her heart. When she moves to Amsterdam, she assumes she will never see him, because what are the chances? But of course they do and through a series of event they end up fake married and living together. The story made for a very cozy read with beautiful descriptions of Amsterdam. Dani and Wouter slowly transition from exes, to friends, to more. But the story doesn't drag. I have already recommended this book to a coworker who was looking for something to read after the new Abby Jimenez. I think Rachel Lynn Solomon writes with similar vibes and story telling. I recommend this book for anyone who likes Rachel Lynn Solomon, a quirky premise, and a sweet cozy romance. (Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for the ARC)

If RLS writes it, I will read it. Especially if it is a cinnamon roll hero who is pining for years.
Dani's life has blown up so she decides she needs a change. She moves to Amsterdam hoping that she will be able to find herself. When she gets there though, things don't go quite as planned. She also runs into the one person that broke her heart and isn't sure how to feel about it.
Wouter was an exchange student that lived with her family. They had a secret romance and big plans, until he went back to Amsterdam and broke up with her via text. She hasn't been able to forget the hurt for the last 13 years.
When he comes to her rescue, more than once, she wonders if she can ever let him go again and this time, it just might completely break her.
While we don't get Wouter's POV, we see just how much he still loves Dani. He shows it in all the things that he does for her and just how constant he is. I did see a correlation to another one of my favorite characters by RLS.. so that was sweet and I loved that aspect. I also loved the little cameo we got from another set of my fave characters. Also, the last two cameos I can remember have been on boats, is that a trend?
All in all I enjoyed this read tremendously and got lots of butterflies when I was reading anything Wouter was saying. He was so genuine and just the sweetest. Dani was a little harder for me to connect with, especially at the end. I wasn't sure why she did what she did, but I really thought her growth was handled well. 4.5 stars.
Thanks to Netgalley, Berkley and RLS for an early copy!

What Happens in Amsterdam is truly a love letter to Amsterdam, making me immediately want to try the food and hop on a plane to see tulips.

Dani has been living under her parent's shadow since birth, talking through with them everything she does. So, she decides to do something for herself and take a job in Amsterdam. A job that after a few weeks dissolves and leaves her unemployed. Better yet? She doesn't have a place to live due to her rental flooding. Thank goodness she crashes her bike into her former love/ foreign exchange student Wouter. Thank goodness he needs someone to marry in order to keep his home/rentals. Lots of luck, lots of love all because one needs a visa and the other needs to keep the family home. Both think what happens in Amsterdam, stays in Amsterdam. But what happens when both Wouter and Dani can't deny their feelings for one another?

I ADORED this book, making it one of my top reads of the first quarter. Rachel Lynn Solomon immediately transports readers, including myself, into Amsterdam's city blocks and numerous bicycles. Don't read or listen to this book while hungry, you'll want to order the food (or find similar items in your country). I feel in love with both Dani and Wouter throughout my read, loving Dani's attempt to break out of her parent's mold and Wouter's hilarious friend group and family. This is a couple that I truly believe will continue their happily ever after when the page turns to the last and I recommend to anyone wanting to dive into a whimsical country or believe in love, marriage of convenience style.

“Ik hou het meest van jou.”

Dani has uprooted herself from overprotective parents and a jerk of an ex-boyfriend, for a job in the land of tulips (swoon).

Dani knew that it would be hard moving to a new country, learning the language, and being so far from her family. She didn’t expect to wake up to a flooded apartment, have a new job that seemed doomed from the start, and literally run into the man who ruined her 13 years prior!

Oh my goodness, I adored this book! The setting was gorgeous and makes me want to visit yesterday and travel along the canals that Dani and Wouter traveled.

I am going to urge all readers to judge this book by the cover and not read the synopsis. There were so many delightful surprises that popped up around each page turn! Thank you Netgalley for this opportunity to read and review!!

Reading this book, I think that the author truly captured the beauty and uniqueness of Amsterdam through Dani's eyes. It was a fun escape to another country. I felt like I was with Dani exploring the architecture, food, culture, language and history of a city I've never been to.

It's been a while since I've read a marriage of convenience trope. I liked how it worked out in this one, especially bringing Dani and Wouter together after 13 years apart. Some other parts I enjoyed were the mental health rep, Dani's relationship with her sister, the Post-its, and Wouter's dog (loved his name).

At times it was slow moving and I felt like I just needed a little bit more from the romance.

*Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review and to PRH Audio for the gifted ALC*

Doing this book on audio absolutely should be mandatory. You get the intonations, the Dutch accents, the droll humor, it's just everything. This book made me want to drop everything, move to Amsterdam, and run through a tulip field. It's a love letter to the Netherlands and I was sold from the get-go.

And as always, Rachel Lynn Solomon delivers romances chock-full of representation, spice, and dramaaaaa. The second they mentioned a green card marriage, you knew there was a bomb waiting to go off. Vouter is absolutely dreamy and a stable foil to Dani's artsy wanderlust ways, and I loved this take on a second chance romance. (Are foreign exchange students going to become a new trope?) But really the discussions on depression, starting over, and finally LIVING your life? Exactly what I needed. I didn't think anything could top Weather Girl for me, but this came so close. And the little Business or Pleasure Easter egg in the epilogue? My heart.

This made me want to pack and bag and fly off to Amsterdam!!

What Happens in Amsterdam was a heart-warming second chance story with a fun an deliciously tension-filled marriage of convenience thrown in.

Dani (somewhat) spontaneously moves to Amsterdam after her personal life blows up, and once there she (quite literally) crashes into Wouter, her first love.. first everything! It's been over a decade since they've seen each other, and things ended between them in a very hurtful way, causing Dani to be wary of letting him back in.

Dani loses her job and potentially her visa, and Wouter needs to get married in order to inherit his family home in Amsterdam, so Wouter proposes that they get married so they can both get what they need. For sake of appearances, Dani moves in with Wouter. (Yay yay!! we love forced proximity!!)

From there, old hurts and old feelings resurface, making their current living arrangement tense in more ways than one.

The book is single POV, but it's clear Wouter absolutely falls first and harder. He is just waiting and hoping Dani's feelings catch up to his. He is such a kind, affectionate man! Him and his bald spot could get it!

This was steamy (the physio scene!! bedroom wall!!!!!!! IYKYK) and fun, but it was equally sweet (POST-ITS!!!!) and emotional. It had some great humor, kept a great pace that had me turning page after page and a romance that I ultimately rooted for. It also tackles some family issues and what it means to become your own independent person when people can't seem to let you grow up.

Important to note: Dani is 4'something and Wouter is 6' tall.. thankfully, it didn't feel like the author focused too much on how insane their height difference was. Just know, this man could pick her up like it was nothing!!

This was my first book by the author and I'm now eager to pick up some of her backlist titles.

RATING: 4/5 STARS

This was a cute marriage-of-convenience rom-com. Loved the Amsterdam setting. I think this is the perfect book to read while on vacation.

Rachel Lynn Solomon's What Happens in Amsterdam is by far one of the superior second-chance romances in existence. I loved every moment of this book, from the first meeting between Dani and Wouter to the flashbacks when they were teenagers to watching them fall in love together again.

A little bit about the book: Dani Dorfman sets fire to her life in the best way possible (I couldn't believe the way her "friends" reacted to what she did) and moves to Amsterdam to escape both the collateral damage of her actions and the well-meant hovering of her parents. Her first week doesn't go anything how she envisioned and ends up with her crashing her bike into Wouter van Leeuwen, her ex-boyfriend from her teenage years when he lived with Dani and her family as a Dutch exchange student. Dani's life continues to fall apart when the start-up she moved to Amsterdam to work out falls apart and she's left with ninety days to find another one or be forced to return home. Wouter, the sweetest man alive, has a plan, albeit a bit unconventional and not entirely legal. He needs to be married in order to inherit his family's home and suggests marriage to Dani so they can both get what they want.

I loved how Rachel approached the rebuilding of Dani and Wouter's relationship. She tackled feelings felt back in their teenage years and added in some things that many people face in real life as well--anxiety, depression, societal pressure--and weaved it effortlessly into a love story that made my heart sing. I also loved how Dani was a micro-premie as I too was a micro-premie and it was so cool to see that representation. Please, please, please pick up a copy of this book if you love second-chance romances, marriages of convenience, and want to learn more about Dutch culture.

Thank you Berkley for the e-ARC!

After losing her job, Dani Dorfman impulsively moves to Amsterdam and unexpectedly reunites with her high school ex, Wouter. When they agree to a marriage of convenience, old feelings resurface forcing Dani to decide if this second chance is worth the risk.

What Happens In Amsterdam was one of my most anticipated reads! I enjoyed this one! I loved how Rachel brought Amsterdam to life as its own character which worked out beautifully. The storyline was engaging and the pacing was well done. I appreciated how Rachel explored Dani’s unemployment and burnout in a way that felt relatable and allowed us to really empathize with her. The connection between Dani and Wouter was sweet and I enjoyed how their relationship was built up with thoughtful flashbacks. I only wish we had gotten Wouter’s perspective at times. Other than that, I really loved this one.

(4.25 stars)
What Happens In Amsterdam is a second-chance romance and marriage of convenience with a twist. Dani (Danica) is from Los Angeles; Wouter had been an exchange student who stayed with her family when they were 17, and the two of them had fallen in love back then. But once Wouter was back in Amsterdam, he broke it off rather clumsily - I can forgive him for his terrible communication because, well, he was a teenager! Dani had been a preemie and has several medical issues including asthma, and her parents were over-the-top protective, hovering over her even now that she’s 30 years old.

After a workplace disaster, Dani decides to upend her life and move to Amsterdam for a job with a startup in her field (UX, or User Experience, in tech lingo). When that company goes belly-up, she needs a job to be able to stay in the Netherlands. While riding a bike (as one does in Amsterdam), she literally crashes into Wouter. Sort of a meet-cute but of course they used to know each other very well, 13 years before.

The publisher’s blurb talks about their marriage of convenience, so I’m not giving anything away when I say that Wouter eventually steps in to help Dani, partly because he’s a good guy and still has feelings for her, and partly because it’ll help him too, with his family.

There are delightful scenes and descriptions of Amsterdam and the nearby countryside along with history tidbits. (Dani has to get to know Amsterdam, after all.) It gave me a bit of an “Emily in Paris” feel at times. I loved Dani’s sister Phoebe and Wouter’s various relatives. I did NOT care for Dani’s parents, although as a parent myself, I understand at least a little of their concerns.

There’s good LBGTQ+ rep and Dani has anxiety along with her asthma, so there’s neurodivergent rep as well. And Wouter has grief issues over his father’s death (before the events of the book). So we’ve got some perfectly imperfect lead characters, which is nice.

Note that I received an advance copy of this book via a program from Berkley Publishing that focuses on books featuring “underrepresented voices.” Dani is Jewish, as is the author, but Dani being Jewish is an extremely minor aspect of this story, basically irrelevant. I was a tad disappointed in that, since I expected at least a little more Jewish content.

Warning: There are several very explicit scenes between Dani and Wouter.

I mostly listened to the audiobook version (thank you to PRH Audio for the opportunity!). The narrator, Elizabeth Lamont, made the story come alive with all the Dutch accents and words - words I would never have know how to pronounce otherwise, starting with Wouter’s name!

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

ARC/ALC REVIEW

What Happens in Amsterdam by Rachel Lynn Solomon
5 STARS

Thank you, Berkley, for the free eARC of this book and another thank you to PRHA for the free audiobook! #berkleypartner #PRHAudioPartner

SYNOPSIS: Dani Dorfman’s life is a mess, until a failed romance and lost job lead her to Amsterdam. There, she reunites with her high school ex, Wouter, who needs a wife to claim a family home. A marriage of convenience sparks old flames, forcing Dani to choose: another mistake or a fresh start?

REVIEW: Oh my, this book made me want to travel to Amsterdam! This novel is so fun, and I just adored our FMC and MMC, especially since they felt like real people. Neither was the perfect, “hottest person you’ve ever seen.” Rather, they were perfect in their flaws!

I’m a sucker for a second chance romance, and What Happens in Amsterdam is such a perfect example of the troupe. It bubbles over with charm, while being a somewhat calm read! I was able to sit back and just enjoy the story, the characters, and the setting.

Elizabeth Lamont did a stellar job bringing these two characters to life! If you’re an audiobook listener like me, you will really enjoy this narration!

This is the first book I’ve read by Rachel Lynn Solonmon, but it will not be my last! This is a perfect read for warmer weather!

Publisher: Berkley, Berkley Romance, Penguin Random House, PRHA
Pub date: 5/6/25

Thank you to Berkley for the eARC and PRH Audio for the ALC.

This almost felt like a love letter to Amsterdam and I was totally here for it.

Dani’s life is falling apart so she impulsively takes a job at a start-up in Amsterdam, where she—literally—runs into her high school ex-boyfriend on a bicycle. Things happen and they decide to get married, her for a visa and him to convince his family to deed over the family apartment.

While yes, Wouter broke up with her in an awful way, he was 17 and immature and it was clear that he regretted his actions 1000 times over….so I can forgive him. Dani and Wouter getting to know each other again was wonderful. Their chemistry was hot and spicy and Wouter calling her ‘his wife’ was just the trope I didn’t know I needed today.

But like all fictional fake relationships…the third act break up was inevitable and it was so bad, I almost rage quit. Dani, I’m like an elephant and I will never forget. Wouter is wonderful and he deserves better than the weak apology you gave.

At the end of the day, I loved almost all of this book, but Dani just really ruined the ending for me.

Take me to Amsterdam right now! Specially if there’s a meet cute after a bicycle accident. This was too cute. I could vividly picture the colorful tulips, pretty architecture and taste all the yummy pastries. Dani and Wouter’s story is all about second chances, standing up for yourself and new beginnings.

🌷Teenage romance
🌷Second chance
🌷Marriage of convenience
🌷Anxiety / mental health rep

Thank you Berkley and NetGalley for this arc!

i really enjoyed this one. this was a marriage of convenience, second chance romance with an amsterdam setting ✍🏻 i have never been but i was visualizing everything. dani and wouter had a young love moment when he was an exchange student living with dani and her family. fast forward to dani moving to start fresh in another country and runs into (actually hits him with her bike by accident) wouter.

they then come up with a plan in order to both get what they need. i do love that our fmc learned it’s okay to not have everything figured out at her age because i struggle with that so much in terms of my career. she felt very real in this aspect. wouter leaving notes for dani in dutch so she can learn the language was everything. overall, a read i really enjoyed!

representations in the book: nicu micro-preemie survivor, asthma, mmc with pattern baldness, and fmc with port-wine stain birthmark

4.5 rounded up. Rachel Lynn Solomon's words always feels like talking to an old friend you have been dying to catch up with. In this instance, we have a lead FMC who has rushed over to Amsterdam to start anew, but the issue is that her work visa is set to expire if she cannot find another sustainable job. Luck would have it that she would run into her teenage paramour in the very city and he not only offers her a new place to stay but a compromise. He can only inherit the apartment building he loves if he's married and she can receive citizenship to stay in Amsterdam, but with how wild the proposal is and the unkempt feelings running afoot, how long can they keep up the charade before things hit the surface and the metaphorical fan? I felt like I was making my way through Amsterdam myself as I was reading this novel, it was such a cozy romance with a side of making me feel traveling fomo, just loved it.

4.25 stars.

oh how I adored this! This book had so many of my favourite tropes: marriage of convenience, fake dating, second chance romance, and big city girl moving to another country in order to find herself (yes it’s a trope in my books). A sweet, feel-good, laugh out loud romance that will put you in a good mood and a perfect summer time read!

Dani is such a relatable character. In her thirties, she’s still trying to figure out what her passion in life is and what direction to go. Her career is a mess, her relationship exploded, and her only solution was to pack up, move to another country, and start anew there. Until she crashes (literally) into her high school ex-boyfriend/fling Wouter, the exchange student that captured her heart all those years ago. I absolutely LOVED their dynamic. Dani is kind of a mess but smiling through it all, Wouter is the golden dutch boy who comes to her rescue. Their chemistry was strong from the beginning and I loved the way the author developed their relationship. I was fully into the story from beginning to end!

Rachel Lynn Solomon effortlessly creates a unique story that captures the heart of readers, shows realistic struggles in adulthood, and how the right person will find their way back to you. I adored this story and all the other books I’ve read of hers. Highly recommend!! Thank you Berkley for the gifted ARC & PRH audio for the gifted ALC in exchange for an honest review!

Thanks so much to Berkeley Publishing for the free book! This book is a great romance with several different tropes. Second chance romance. marriage of convenience/fake dating, miscommunication, and more! Although I am not the biggest fan of miscommunication, this book executed it so well! I loved that the main character had asthma, anxiety, as well as her birthmark and her religious beliefs (being Jewish). Sometimes, it feels like books put in one "minority identity" to check a box, but this book shows how a person holds multitudes and how important intersectionality is. I do not think I have ever read a book with a main character with asthma, especially one that causes severe attacks. It was wonderful seeing that part of my identity reflected in literature.

I loved how realistic this book felt. The ending of the first relationship in the past wasn't" miscommunication" or any outside influences; it was just the result of being young and stupid. Wouter and Dani feel like real humans with flaws. They were believable and their love story was honest. I will say, Dani did struggle with communicating her truly feelings a bit too long for my liking, but she grew into the person she was meant to.

Rachel Lynn Solomon makes you feel like you are in Amsterdam, even if you have never been. This book was beautiful and truly reminded me that growth is not linear, that there is no timeline in life, and that you are exactly where you are meant to be. This book highlights that the right time does exist, and you will experience it when you are meant to.

4.5/5

This book had so many of my favorite tropes!

Second chance romance
Teenage sweethearts
Marriage of Convenience
Forced Proximity
One Bed
Mental Health Rep

I was captivated by this book as soon as I started it! Rachel Lynn Solomon has a way of writing that pulls you in from the very first page.

Wouder and Dani fell in love at 17 when he was her family's foreign exchange student from Amsterdam. He broke her heart 13 years ago. Now she's moved to Amsterdam to try and turn her life around. When she loses her job and happens to run into Wouder, he proposes a marriage of convenience so she can get a green card and he can inherit his Grandmother's house.

Seeing these two fall back in love was such a joy. I also fell a little bit in love with Amsterdam. It was described so vividly that I almost felt like I was there! I also appreciated how sensitively the theme of mental health was addressed. It wasn't the main topic of the book, but wasn't glazed over either, which I appreciated. I loved both characters and felt like they were truly made for each other. Wouder was truly the perfect golden retriever MMC, and Dani, though going through some personal struggles, was such a caring and sweet FMC.

This was definitely one of those romances that will make you smile and swoon, and I highly recommend it, especially if you're a fan of any of it's tropes. The author did all of them so well!

What Happens in Amsterdam
By: Rachel Lynn Solomon

Thank you to @berkleyromance for free book #berkleypartner #berkley All opinions are my own.

“There are no rules for any of this, how you’re supposed to act after you hooked up with your fake husband-slash-ex-boyfriend and former forbidden love.”

My favorite part of this story was by far the delightful setting! Despite never having been to Amsterdam or the Netherlands I felt like I could picture it all in my mind after reading this book. Rachel Lynn Solomon has written some of my favorite romances and the premise of this one is very sweet. I love a good second chance and the connection between Dani and Wouter is strong! I will admit that at times I found myself becoming frustrated with Dani’s immaturity and the third act breakup was as predictable as it was frustrating. With that said, I would still recommend this one especially to those who love a good romance with a fun setting!

Read if you like:

Second Chance
Marriage of Convenience
Mental Health Rep
Travel Romance
Green card marriage
Slow Burn
A good amount of spice